Floyd County police and Rome-Floyd County firefighters compare notes as a Paul Anthony Grady who was injured in a fight shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday is loaded into an ambulance at 15 S. Central Ave. in Lindale. (Diane Wagner / RN-T.com)

Floyd County police and Rome-Floyd County firefighters compare notes as a Paul Anthony Grady who was injured in a fight shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday is loaded into an ambulance at 15 S. Central Ave. in Lindale. (Diane Wagner / RN-T.com)

A Cedartown man now faces a murder charge after the man police say he attacked died from his wounds early Wednesday.

A dispute over money led to the fatal Dec. 28 confrontation between Corey Demarcus Gardhigh and Paul Anthony Grady at Grady’s home at 15 S. Central Ave. in Lindale, said Floyd County police investigator Amy Nails.

Gardhigh worked for Grady, who was a painting contractor, Nails said.

Police were originally called to a reported shooting at Grady’s home that day around 5:15 p.m. They realized there had been no shooting but found Grady, 43, with a head injury and began looking for a suspect. An investigation led them to Gardhigh, who they captured around 11 p.m. Gardhigh, 30, of 172 East Point Road, Cedartown, was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor simple battery and several counts of third-degree cruelty to children.

At 7 a.m. Wednesday morning Grady died at Floyd Medical Center as a result of head injuries, said Chief Deputy Coroner Gene Proctor.

Police then charged Gardhigh, who has been at Floyd County Jail since his arrest, with felony murder. He is being held without bond.

Grady’s body will be sent to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy, police said.

Gardhigh, a Cedartown High graduate and football standout, was recruited by Mississippi State out of high school, but was suspended indefinitely after a 2005 arrest on burglary charges.